Irish P.M. off the beam

[Sydney Grew]

Mr. Kenny the Prime Minister of Ireland has complained about the "elitism" of the Roman Catholic Church.

--> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14224199

The élite of a society or group is its choice part or flower.

"Élitism" - a word coined only fifty years ago - means the advocacy of or reliance upon the leadership of an élite in a society or in any body or class. What could there possibly be to object to in that?

Is he advocating a robotic slave society in which every one is in every respect equal? A lowest common (indeed) denominator? The Irish are the last people to want something of that nature we should have thought. But this same attitude, inexplicable to me, seems to lie at the bottom of Radio Three's recent failures.

[We have supplied the acute accents omitted by the intolerably slipshod B.B.C. proof-readers.]

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

it doesn't matter what he called it, and his usage seems ok to me, he is right

[Mahlerei]

CDJ

Indeed he is.

[scottycelt]

It was a politician's opportunistic speech, exploiting the serious mistakes that have been made by senior figures within the Church regarding child abuse cases in the past in order to finally break the historic link between Church and State in the cause of secularism more in line with other countries in the EU ... you know, legalised abortion, civil partnerships, all that sort of stuff. Glaringly obvious, really.

In any case, there must be few people in this world who mix in any more 'elite' circles than Prime Ministers ...

[PatrickOD]

Is he advocating a robotic slave society in which every one is in every respect equal? A lowest common (indeed) denominator? The Irish are the last people to want something of that nature we should have thought.

I don't think so, Sydney. I think he's talking about the meaning of elitism where a certain select few reserve special privileges for themselves. While the clergy in general have traditionally been happy to occupy the pedestals they have been placed upon, the Rome contingent looked down from their Olympian heights and told us all what our opinions were. The pedestals are now crumbling and Mr.Kenny is serving notice that Olympia is next. The Irish certainly respect scholarship, though perhaps with a healthy begrudgery, but not condescension.

[amateur51]

It was a politician's opportunistic speech, exploiting the serious mistakes that have been made by senior figures within the Church regarding child abuse cases in the past in order to finally break the historic link between Church and State in the cause of secularism more in line with other countries in the EU ... you know, legalised abortion, civil partnerships, all that sort of stuff. Glaringly obvious, really.

In any case, there must be few people in this world who mix in any more 'elite' circles than Prime Ministers ...

You don't half resort to talking some old coal in your persistent kneejerk defence of your Mother Church, scotty.

And anyway, he ain't a Prime Minister - he's the Taoiseach, innit :bigrin:

[scottycelt]

You don't half resort to talking some old coal in your persistent kneejerk defence of your Mother Church, scotty.

And anyway, he ain't a Prime Minister - he's the Taoiseach, innit :bigrin:

Not defending anybody or anything, amateur old friend, merely defining the situation as I see it ... nothing much wrong with that, eh?

Anyway, I don't speak Irish Gaelic and I strongly suspect you don't either ...

[amateur51]

Not defending anybody or anything, amateur old friend, merely defining the situation as I see it ... nothing much wrong with that, eh?

Anyway, I don't speak Irish Gaelic and I strongly suspect you don't either ...

You'd be absolutely correct in that suspicion, scotty ma wee clutie sporran, but I was just choosing to show some respect to the people and Government of the Republic of Ireland in their choice of title for the position that we in UK might otherwise call 'Prime Minister'

[french frank]

I was just choosing to show some respect

Quite right! Paul Merton calls him the T-shirt

[mangerton]

Yes, but I think when properly pronounced it sounds more like tea SHOP.

OTOH, I don't speak Gaelic of any persuasion either.

[scottycelt]

... I was just choosing to show some respect to the people and Government of the Republic of Ireland ...

I'm sure our infamously disrespected Celtic cousins will be deeply moved and forever appreciative , amateur ... :cool2:

[Sydney Grew]

Just happened upon this while looking for something quite different:

Tá Gaeilge agam.
I have Irish

Tá Gaeilge agat
You have Irish

Tá Gaeilge aige
He has Irish

Tá Gaeilge aici
She has Irish

Tá Gaeilge againn
We have Irish

Tá Gaeilge agaibh
Yee [sic] have Irish

Tá Gaeilge acu
They have Irish

[MrGongGong]

Tá sé seo go léir an-maith, ach cad ar domhan an bhfuil a dhéanamh leis an praghas cáise?

[Lateralthinking1]

Kenny is absolutely right in his comments on The Vatican. Elitism though is an interesting word to consider in terms of Irish politics.

I like Ireland very much - one of my favourite countries - but in truth Charles Haughey was a crook while Ahern, Reynolds, Cowen and even Bruton were all highly questionable on matters of economic handling.

In my humble opinion, of all the recent Taoiseachs, only FitzGerald deserved the kind of respect Stanley seems to suggest should be more or less automatic. Ironically, he fell into hard times with his personal finances.

It is too early to comment on Kenny himself.

[PatrickOD]

Bullai fir, amateur, Sydney and Mr.GongGong - I think that means 'well done!' You are all following the example of Her Majesty the Queen and President Obama, who well know how a little bit of the Gaelige goes down well. You can't offend the Irish by speaking their language, even if most of them can't speak it themselves!
The price of cheese could well be a big issue, not just in Ireland, at the present time, and might eventually weigh more with the electorates than fine words about cleaning out the Augean stables, be they British or Irish. Mr.Kenny has the political and economic shambles, as well as the Church fiasco, to try to sort out. More power to his elbow!
I think you've got it right, Lat, about Garret Fitzgerald being the kind of man needed at the top. Garret the Good, was what the slimy Haughey called him, and for once he was dead right. Still, they voted him out in favour of the cute hoor brigade, and look where it landed them.
The plural of Taoiseach is Taoisigh - Tee- shoch, Tee- shee.
Is Paul Merton anything to Mrs. Merton, ff? He's not as funny, though they both do go on and on.